OHV Hearing last Monday

[SpikeRoberts]

Benny,
I think you need to get your facts straight. MRR does not now and never has advocated a ban on ATVs -- only restrictions on the extent of their use in the state forests. In the case of the ATV use, their position is that we adopt a policy similar to that of the other states in the midwest -- a policy recently passed in the MN State Senate. We have restrictions on any number of other uses of our natural resources -- fish and game limits for example -- that are enacted to protect our resources so that they can be enjoyed by as many members of the public as possible. Any slippery slope argument you make about bans is completely without merit. If you can't refute the oppostion's position without attributing false claims to them, it seems to demonstrate that their case is a decent one.

Claiming that average landowners, farmers, and cabin owners need this to have meaning in their lives shows how little of this issue you actually know about it. I'm sure they would much prefer to live their own humble and quiet lives w/o any of the hassles caused by ATV users.

By your logic, anglers that advocate smaller limits or slot limits are proposing bans. Do you believe that? Of course, you don't! You realize that anglers that advocate such a position are taking into account the necessity to impose restrictions to ensure productive fisheries for the enjoyment of as many people as possible as well as the long-term viability of the resource.

I do agree with you however about elk and deer farming. Given the recent developments of chronic wasting disease and the fact that imported animals could (oh there I go, using could again) contribute to the disease in wild animals, I think we need to be cautious about the practice. I would hate for the deer season to be shortened or closed -- I like to eat venison.

I will no longer be posting on the ATV forum -- I've said my $.02 worth so many times I'm out of change. I do want to point out to Dave and Benny that while I disagree with your postion on ATV use in the state forests, you both seem to be pretty decent guys. Hopefully we can chat on on of the fishing threads -- that's where my real passion is -- I'm sure we'll have a lot to agree about in those threads

[This message has been edited by SpikeRoberts (edited 03-28-2002).]

[Dave]

Spike, only "pretty decent"?.. Thanks for your opinions on the issue. While I don't agree with all of yours, I do agree that ATVs has to be more controlled, but not controlled to death. See ya on the water or in the woods. If it's in the woods, and you're on foot and I'm on my wheeler, let's keep our sportsmanship in mind.

[Benny]

Sorry to see you go Spike, I was just on the line with several friends to have them join our debate.We had a great one going and I do hope to chat about the fishing later on.
I would like to defend the statement about getting my facts straight though.History is against the MRR as they fit into the same group as the PETA,GREEN PEACE, and any other ORG. that has simalar veiws.These groups are never what they talk about being,oh sure there are individual like your self that truly believe what they say and hold up their end of the statements made.But there are always those that gain control and take the group to the extreames and sue everyone they can and most of the time it is just to gain publicity to further their cause.They are never satisfied with anything less than total bans on anything they see as a threat to their views on the given subject.
I have always stated that we do need some control on the ATV's, but we don't need to ban cross country travel all over the state.There is simply no way to enforce it, and there are so many loggig roads that are already tore up by the logging companies after they took the last timber they want out of a given area, that it can't posibly be any more harmful to allow travel on these roads.The area by your house was never a mine or a logging road, it started out as an ATV trail and after the DNR opened the door the whole public jumped on the ATV band wagon and that is when the degredation started.To many people limited to too few trails.
Thanks again for voicing your views and trying to sway the ATV group.
Benny

[This message has been edited by Benny (edited 03-28-2002).]